The American Civil War in 11 Pictures - 8/11

On January 1, 1863, President Lincoln proclaimed that all slaves in the Confederate states were free. (Note: as a consequence, slavery still legal in the border states!). The freedom wasn't giving immediately however, and most slaves had to wait until the end of the war. Around 200,000 blacks joined the Union Army to fight against the Confederates and helped their brothers to freedom.